Townsend & Wall at 602 Francis Street was the principal department store in downtown St. Joseph
from 1866 to 1983
It is listed as a contributing building to the St. Joseph Commerce and Banking Historic District
which is on the National Register of Historic Places
It is also a prominent building in the Historic Retail District Felix Street Corridor in the
master plan for St. Joseph
The store was founded in 1866 by John Townsend, who was born in Illinois, started his career as a clerk
in the store of John and Isaac Curd on Main street in St Joseph
The first store was at 403 Felix street under the firm name of Townsend & Lowell
After Lowell retired in 1868 the store under the new name Townsend & Wood the store moved to 319 Felix street
In 1879 it became Townsend, Wyatt & Co. after he took on new partners J. Cavan Wyatt and John D. Richardson, Jr.
In 1890 it joined with Emery Dry Goods Co. under the name of Townsend, Wyatt & Emery Dry Goods Co. and was at
Sixth and Edmond. It was destroyed by fire in September, 1893
Mr Wyatt died in 1911. In 1914, the name was again changed to Townsend, Wyatt and Wall to accommodate the addition
of Thomas R. Wall
In 1963, it was owned & operated by Thomas Wall, Jr
T& W had five floors and a bargain basement where the more "affordable" clothes were sold
The store was filled with top quality merchandise. Custom drapes, carpet, furniture,
clothing, jewelry, kitchen items, everything imaginable for the home
It had a great snack bar of which was always very busy
Very large "T&W" were painted on the elevator doors using real gold paint
The store sat empty for many years until Walter Boschen redesigned the building and it is currently an apartment building
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